Benefits
of Natural and
Organic Dog Supplies

While the cost of organic dog supplies
is often higher than their
synthetic counterparts, it’s well worth it.

There are some instances, however, when buying organic is not possible
or realistic. We'll get into those reasons in a bit (click
here to jump straight there). First...

...with regards to supplies, “organic” typically means chemical-free,
health conscious and environmentally friendly. For you it
comes down to a choice of lifestyle. We'll do our best to ask
you a couple of necessary questions in as unbiased a way as
possible…

Will you purchase dog supplies that are earth-friendly and promote the
health of you, your dog, your family and all those involved in the
products’ manufacturing?

…OR…

Are you indifferent?

You have found our web site, so I imagine that the former question
better suits you.

But WHY is natural and organic better?

Before we answer this, let’s briefly explore the reason synthetic
material was introduced in the first place…

In and before the early 1900’s, all material was “natural.”
Then in the 1930s, man-made synthetic fibers became the rave: they were
strong, did not stretch, wrinkle or shrink as much over time and were
easy to wash. They were also easier to dye and could be made to
“cling” or form to the body, which provided seemingly infinite
possibilities for the fashion-conscious consumer.

With all of these great benefits, why bother switching back?
The answer is several fold…

The manufacturing of man-made fibers is
extremely harmful to the environment and therefore potentially harmful to you
and your dog.

According to
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
“plastic resin and manmade fiber manufacturing facilities…released (to
the air, water or land) and transferred (shipped off-site or discharged
to sewers) a total of 399 million pounds of toxic chemicals during
calendar year 1995. This represents approximately seven
percent of the 5.7 billion pounds of releases and transfers from all
manufacturers.

And here is
what it means to you and your dog: According to the EPA,
following are the effects of one of the chemicals released. The others
listed in their report have similar characteristics:

“Biodegradation is likely to occur if it is
released to the soil. It is also mobile in the soil and may
evaporate from the surface of the soil. In water, the major
loss process is biodegradation. Acetonitrile will persist in
the troposphere for a long time and may be transported a long distance
from the source of its release.”

Many people and dogs have a bead reaction to
formaldehyde (yes, the same chemical used for embalming dead bodies),
which is used to prevent wrinkles. Reactions include
dizziness, memory impairment, allergies and a weakened immune system.

Materials made with synthetic material are more
likely to be manufactured in developing countries through the use of
“sweat-shops” where workers, often children, are underpaid and
overworked. While organic dog supplies are becoming more
popular, they are still considered a specialty item and tend to be
manufactured by more ethically–minded companies.

Cotton is highly detrimental to soil mineral
content (so future crops planted on the same ground will not be as
healthy or, if edible, nutritious) and uses 25% of the world’s
pesticides.

Certified
organic cotton, however, is grown using
no pesticides (farmers use other “good” insects to control pests) and
is frequently rotated to different soil. Hemp is another
environmentally friendly material.

Lead poisoning, which can be brought about by
ingesting or inhaling paint chips or contaminated dust, is a risk of
synthetic paints.

Chemical lawn treatments are a horrible
idea. Your dogs can easily get chemicals on their
feed. They are also likely to inadvertently (or intentionally
in the case of our dog!) eat or inhale the chemicals.

Avoid products with organophosphates (OPs) and
carbamates, which are often found in non-organic dog supplies such as
flea and tick products. Ingredients to look out for include:

Buying Organic Dog Supplies
is Not Always Possible or
Realistic

Some
of the best products for your pet are simply not available in an
organic form. Some therapeutic pet beds, for example, are
made
using a technology that regulates the bed's heat and
coolness.

If you have a pet stain that you just can't seem to get
up with organic cleaners (try
these first), you must sometimes resort to the stronger
stuff.

As a general rule of thumb, if there is an organic
product available, give it a shot first for all of the reasons
mentioned above.

If
the material itself is not organic,
research the manufacturer and how they do business. Always
choose
the ethical and environmentally conscious over the others.
Read their press releases. Find out if they are
certified
by any environmentally friendly organizations. Google their
name
along with the
word "news." (i.e. "Solid Gold News").

Now back
to the actual dog supplies...

Click
here to jump back up to the organic dog supplies categories at the top of
this page to learn more about specific product types and see our
recommendations.

Do you believe in holistic pet care? If so, please tell your friends about us with a Facebook like, Google +1 or via Twitter, Pinterest, email or good old fashioned word of mouth. Thank you for supporting our efforts!

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Disclaimers: The information contained in this web site is provided for general informational purposes only. It is not intended as nor should be relied upon as medical advice. Rather, it is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a pet owner/site visitor and his/her local veterinarian(s). Before you use any of the information provided in the site, you should seek the advice of a qualified professional.

In the spirit of full
disclosure, we wanted to let you know that we proudly support this
website through advertising and affiliate marketing. In other words,
when you click on a link that takes you outside of this website, we
often earn a small commission. These small commissions allow us to keep
the site up and running and to continue offering it completely free of
charge to you. Rest assured that all content, recommendations and
advice are created before, and are independent of, any sponsorship or
affiliate relationship. Click
here for more info.

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Disclaimers: The information contained in this web site is provided for general informational purposes only. It is not intended as nor should be relied upon as medical advice. Rather, it is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a pet owner/site visitor and his/her local veterinarian(s). Before you use any of the information provided in the site, you should seek the advice of a qualified professional.

In the spirit of full
disclosure, we wanted to let you know that we proudly support this
website through advertising and affiliate marketing. In other words,
when you click on a link that takes you outside of this website, we
often earn a small commission. These small commissions allow us to keep
the site up and running and to continue offering it completely free of
charge to you. Rest assured that all content, recommendations and
advice are created before, and are independent of, any sponsorship or
affiliate relationship. Click
here for more info.